After one of the seven Clear Creek ISD high school graduation ceremonies Chris Reed attended weeks ago, he turned to Superintendent Greg Smith and said, “This is why we do what we do.”

The statement was a reflection of Reed's values. Reed had a heart for students and serving the community however he could, and that is the legacy he will leave behind, Smith told Community Impact Newspaper.

“We’re glad he chose to volunteer and become an elected official in CCISD because he’s been [a] great force and influence on doing the right things for kids,” Smith said. “He’s our Captain America.”

Reed was found dead June 9 after a wake hit his fishing boat June 7, tossing him overboard about 1.5 miles north of the Texas City Dike. He was 50 years old.

Smith and others in the community spoke highly of Reed and said his heart for serving others seemed to be endless. He was once League City’s police chief and city manager and Nassau Bay’s city manager. After retiring, he was helping the city of Kemah find a new police chief when the city convinced him to become chief, those who knew Reed said.

“This guy had his hands in everything that was good in our community,” Smith said.

Reed joined the CCISD board of trustees in 2017. His law enforcement experience gave him a lot of insight he shared while the board considered districtwide safety and security upgrades last year, board President Laura DuPont said.

“He brought an expertise in that whole area that was invaluable to our discussion,” DuPont said.

Reed’s acts of service did not stop there. He volunteered with Communities in Schools, which is a program that helps students in need, and other nonprofit organizations. He coached wrestling and was a mentor to many students, Smith and DuPont said.

“A lot of people … didn’t know how much of that he had going on at different points in time,” DuPont said.

Reed had a knack for making connections with people and forming relationships with whomever he met, she and Smith said.

“He was good at helping kids and giving them a hand up, and he was a great role model for the underdog,” Smith said. “He brought so much energy to the room and was always filling everyone’s bucket along the way.”

The CCISD board of trustees is taking time to mourn and will consider ways to address Reed’s empty seat on the board, possibly in July. The board could choose to keep the chair empty until the next election, hold a special election or appoint someone to the board, Smith and DuPont said.

There will be a memorial service for Reed on June 14 at 10 a.m. at Clear Creek Community Church, 999 N. Egret Bay Blvd., League City.